Sunday, 4 August 2013

Ginger Mint

The gardening shows on t.v recommend cutting back mint plants now before they flower and to encourage a second flush of growth. I have been picking from my spearmint plant regularly over the last couple of months so it hasn't flowered. I will be cutting it back by half and drying the cuttings for use during winter.

My ginger mint (mentha x gracilis) however, has been allowed to flower profusely throughout the summer. It has been a magnet to all kinds of beneficial insects and can often be seen covered in butterflies and bees and other winged creatures.

If you want to encourage the bees and butterflies to your garden I strongly recommend getting a ginger mint plant. Keep it in a container to avoid spreading and enjoy the bounty of wildlife that come to visit it.